the Sunflower revives the Fox
by Lolita.Scova
Summary: Naruto and Sasuke had their final battle. Two years later, Hinata contuines to mourn for her lost lover. But what if he's not really dead? hinaXnaru
1. Chapter 1

"NARUTO!"

The earth shook. Rocks shattered. Trees became uprooted from where they stood. Purple hair flew through the wind as a desperate kunoichi ran toward the battle. A man with silver hair stopped her, putting a hand in front of her body and shaking his head sadly. Silver eyes filled with tears.

"Naruto."

The battle raged on. Blow after blow the blond took. Blows equal to the ones he took were landed on his dark haired enemy. Naruto's face held sadness and pain. It corrupted to anger and his blue eyes melted into a fiery red as the demon chakra encased his body. His attacks became stronger and he became faster. The ninjas standing on the sidelines had to retreat farther away, as the chakra was burning their skin.

His ebony haired opponent was slowing down, having already used his curse seal to its full use. Both shinobi fighting prepared a final jutsu.

"RASENGAN!"

"CHIDORI!"

The ninja's launched themselves at each other. The woman looked at Naruto, tears running down her face. He turned his head to her. She watched as though the world was going in slow motion. Her eyes widened as she watched his lips move.

"Hinata…I'm sorry."

The two attacks connected and Hinata could vaguely hear screaming, and almost scoffed when she realized it was her. A blast of chakra swept through a 5 mile radius and Hinata and her companion flew back. Then all was white.

**Sorry it was so short. This is for Naruto's birthday. Happy Birthday to him! This is going to be continued. I hope I didn't totally fail this. . **

**Review!**

**~!snow!~**


	2. Chapter 2

Rain fell softly. The sky was cloudy and gray. A young woman, no older than 20, stood in front of the memorial stone. She held an umbrella in one hand, and a single sunflower in the other. Her head was bowed, and a curtain of glossy violet hair covered her face from view. Her body shook slightly.

_Naruto. It's been 2 years now. So long…and yet I can't seem to move on. No one can. _

She looked up and placed the sunflower on the stone. Silver eyes shimmered with unshed tears as her slender fingers traced his name, faltering as they reached the end. Tears began to leak out of her eyes and she placed her hand over her mouth to stop the sobs.

"Naruto-kun…I miss you. I-I wish you were here."

An anguished cry tore from her throat. She fell to the ground and bowed her head. The umbrella flew a few feet away in the storm's wind. Her arms wrapped around her petite body as it shook with sobs. After awhile she tilted her head back to look at the sky. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth.

"Naruto…"

His name fell from her lips in a feathery sigh. Her eyes snapped open and she turned to look at the approaching figure. Relaxing, she turned back to the stone.

"Hinata, you need to come inside. It's been an hour…you'll get sick."

Hinata sighed sadly and struggled to stand. Finally standing, she turned to get her umbrella, only to find it gone. She sighed shakily and turned to her friend. The girl smiled gently at Hinata, extending her hand. Hinata grasped it gently and her friend pulled her to her side.

"Sakura, you don't suppose I could stay at your house tonight?"

"Of course you can. I already talked to Neji."

They began to walk side by side, shielded from the increasing rain by Sakura's umbrella. Hinata turned her head to look at the medic nin.

"You didn't have plans with him did you?"

Sakura turned her head. Silver eyes and emerald eyes connected and an understanding passed between them.

Never. Not on the anniversary.

They both turned to look ahead, walking in a comfortable silence. They round a corner and climbed up the steps to Sakura's flat. Said kunoichi unlocked her door and they went inside. Taking off their shoes, they stood in the entrance to Sakura's home. The pink haired woman turned to her friend, fixing her with a stern look.

"Get out of those wet clothes. Now. Then go use my shower and change into your extra pajamas."

Hinata tried to cut in, but Sakura would have none of it. She held up her hand and shook her head.

"Don't. When you're done, you and I are going to watch movies and gorge on junk food we're never supposed to have. Okay?"

"Alright Saku."

Sakura smiled, her head titling to the left naturally. She turned on her heel and walked into her bedroom, seemingly to change. Hinata slipped out of her jacket, pants, and shirt. She left her bra and underwear on. Shivering as the cold air hit her damp skin; she slipped her arms around herself and put her pile of clothes in the washing machine. Walking to Sakura's bathroom quickly, she passed by her open door. She stopped by the entrance, listening to the familiar sounds of Sakura's calm humming. She smiled to herself.

"Thank you Sakura."

She whispered it quietly and closed the door before heading into the bathroom.

**Awhile later/ Sakura POV:**

Hinata walked out of my bedroom, drying her hair in a towel. I gave her a small smile and she returned it. I sighed softly, noticing that the smile still didn't reach her eyes. She settled on the couch and while I waited for the popcorn to cook, I walked up behind her. She was flipping through channels, looking for a movie to watch. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and gave her a hug. She leaned back and she let loose a shaky sigh. Her whole body seemed to crumple and I rubbed her arms reassuringly. I kissed her forehead and grabbed a brush. I stood behind her and grabbed her hair into one clump. Brushing it out, I let her talk.

"Oh Sakura! I miss him so much! I can't help but think of him in everything I do. I can barely go to the ramen stand. Sometimes I feel as though I could have stopped it, and he would still be with me. With us. Laughing and joking and being himself. Every day the pain is just as fresh as the moment I learned he….died. It's been two years, Sakura. Two years! I wish he were still here."

"We all do. He was the light and joy of the Leaf."

It was silent for a few minutes. I braided Hinata's hair, tying it with chakra. I went back to the kitchen and grabbed the popcorn and a bottle of Jack Daniels. It wouldn't hurt to drown our sorrows tonight. As I entered the living room, I studied Hinata. She was still skinner than she used to be, and her skin had an unhealthy ashen color to it. Her eyes seemed dull and full of pain and suffering. She seemed exhausted. Sitting next to here, I handed her a shot of Jack. Taking it, she held it up to mine.

"To forgetting."

Her eyes began to brim with tears at this statement, and I could tell even though she wanted to forget, she couldn't.

"To remembering."

It was what we needed to do. We couldn't let him go. We had to hold him as tightly as we could in our memories and relish the gifts he gave us, the joy, the strength. Her eyes locked with mine, and I could see she knew this. But she was afraid of it.

"To the person everyone wishes were here."

She spoke it with no hesitation and her eyes slipped closed as the first tears of the night fell.

"Naruto."

We said his name together and swallowed our shots. It left a bitter taste in my mouth and Hinata poured us another. Sitting back, I swallowed the second shot. Tonight was a night meant to be forgotten.

**END OF CHAPTER**

**Hope you liked it. I know this is a Hinata and Naruto story, but I felt like I needed to do a different POV, and Sakura is my favorite character. Plus, she was the second closest to Naruto, after Hinata. **

**Review!**

**~!snow!~**


	3. Chapter 3

**THE NEXT DAY/NORMAL POV:**

Sunlight peeked through the cracks of the curtains. A lump on the couch shifted and rolled off.

"Oof!"

Sitting up slightly, the weary kunoichi pulled the blanket off her head and rubbed it sourly. She stretched, her arms knocking over an empty bottle of alcohol. Her nose wrinkled in disgust and stood wobbly. Taking a few experimental steps, her eyes quickly scanned the room. She brushed her indigo hair away from her face and walked out of the room. She headed to the bathroom, stopping momentarily outside of the bedroom door. Peeking in, she spotted messy pink hair poking out of the comforter. Smiling happily, she walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

She stripped quickly, placing the sports bra and booty shorts in the laundry basket. She stood in front of the full length mirror and examined herself. Sakura was right when she said she was all skin and bones. Her once curvy body was becoming thin and wiry. She snorted in disgust at the state of her hair and picked at it wearily. Her head tilted to the side as an idea formed in her mind. She nodded to herself and continued the self examination. Her eyes looked a sickly pale, not at all the old silvery white they were. She sighed, her breath fogging up the mirror. She climbed into the shower.

Turning the knob as hot as it would go, she stood under the stream of water. It pounded into her back. She felt every tiny pellet of water that came in contact with her body. Her shoulders rolled back unconsciously as her tense muscles began to relax. She grabbed a shampoo bottle and lathered her hair. Rubbing into her scalp furiously, she let her thought wander.

Naruto had been gone for so long. Two years was a long time. Maybe Sakura was right to berate her about moving on. She was right. Naruto wouldn't want her to waste her life…waste her talent. He would want her to live life at the fullest. But could she forget him?

No. But she wouldn't forget him. She would remember him; she would cherish his memory and help his spirit live on. He deserved at least that much. No, he deserved more than that. However, she would start small. She would start with coming back to life. She shouldn't have let go in the first place. Naruto would have been so sad if he saw her now.

Tipping her head back, she let the water rinse through her hair. Turning slowly, she let the water cascade down her face. Her eyes closed, and her tears mixed with the water. Without warning, her fist pounded into the shower's tile. No! There would be no tears. Only when it was appropriate. She needed to move on.

Once again, her back was to the spray of water. In the background she heard Sakura stir and climb into the second shower. Her medic friend would finish quicker and have breakfast ready by the time she got out. Rubbing conditioner into her hair softly, she thought about Sakura's healing chakra. It really was a wondrous thing, a perfect cure to a hangover. As she let the conditioner soak in, she lathered her body with soap. Quickly rinsing both her body free of soap suds and her hair of bubbles, she stepped out of the shower. The mirror was fogged. As it cleared, she dried her body. Then she turned.

Already she looked better. She seemed to be glowing. Her hair was shiny and soft looking again and fell down her back in a straight waterfall of brilliant bluish-purple. Her skin was a soft glowing white, almost as delicate looking as Sakura's porcelain skin. Her eyes were shining once again, and although they were not as bright as they were in the past, a new kind of hope shone through the despair and loneliness that was once there. She smiled to herself, a small smile, one that reminded her of why Naruto loved her.

**FLASHBACK:**

"Naruto-kun?"

Her boyfriend turned to look at her. Flashing her his foxy grin, he pulled her closer to him. The moon cast shadows on his face, exaggerating his strong chin and the stunning ice blue eyes.

"Yes Hina-chan?"

She bowed her head and twiddled her thumbs out of habitat. She shook her head until her hair fell like a curtain around her face, blocking her from Naruto.

"Why…why love me?"

It was silent. The crickets chirped and Hinata peeked at the moon out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly, Naruto's hand cupped her chin. Turning her face so he could see her, he brushed her hair behind her ear. His eyes were tender, and Hinata felt herself blush at the intense look in his crystal blue eyes.

"You saw me when I was invisible. You were always there, even when I didn't know it. You're beautiful, inside and out. And Hinata…..you're my hope. My joy and my reason for living. You are the sun in my sky, the blood in my veins, and the grass on my mountains."

Hinata could do not but stare into his eyes. One of his hands moved to the small of her back and the other cupped her cheek tenderly. He rubbed gently circles on her skin and she sighed contently. He leaned closer and closer until his mouth was next to her ear.

"Hinata…my stunning sunflower….I love you for you."

And with that he kissed her.

**FLASHBACK OVER:**

There was the hope in her eyes. It was returning. That was why he had loved her. That was why he lived. So she would continue to live. Continue to hope. So that maybe another would see that look in her eyes and find love. Maybe…one day. Her hand reached for the mirror. In her mind, she saw Naruto standing next to her. Her hand touched his cheek.

"Naruto…I will live on. For you. I will always remember you."

Her eyes closed and a tear leaked out. As it fell down her face, she whispered the words he'd whispered to her the day he died.

"I'm sorry."

The tear left a sparkling trail down her cheek. Her eyes opened and they sparkled happily. A look of belief and forgiveness spread through them, leaving Hinata with a peaceful look on her face. The pink kunoichi standing in the doorway smiled. Closing the door softly, she left her friend to get dressed.

**THE END OF THIS CHAPTER  
Way fail. I should have put a warning: extreme cheesy romance in this chapter! Haha. I'm sorry for this horrid chapter. Let me know if I should rewrite it. I know I have been updating, and excuses aren't something that make up for that, but my brother got really sick a few weeks ago..and it's just a lot to deal with. **

**I'd like to thank ****Eco Uchiha**** for the title idea! COOKIES FOR YOU! **

**Please review! I would be so grateful if you give me so good criticism. **

**REVIEW PLEASE! (cookies to those who do!)**

**~!snow!~**


	4. Chapter 4

**AWHILE LATER:**

Hinata stepped out of the bathroom. She wore black ninja pants and a gray off the shoulder t-shirt. Walking through the living room, she saw the room had been cleaned and the smell of alcohol had been scrubbed out of the room. She smiled and nodded contently before heading to the kitchen. Stepping into the spacious room, she smiled at Sakura, who was flipping pancakes. Her pink haired friend looked refreshed as Hinata felt. She wore black ninja pants and a black midriff tank top with a fishnet shirt under it. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She turned to Hinata, giving her a smile.

"Hi Hinata. How do you feel?"

"Good."

Sakura looked at her friend out of the corner of her eye. She was glad that Hinata was recovering. Turning back to the pancakes, she let lose a sigh when the doorbell rang.

"Hinata?"

"I'll get it Saku-chan."

Hinata stood and walked to the door. Opening it, she smiled at the visitors. Opening the door wider, she let them in, closing the door behind them. She led them to the kitchen, were Sakura was getting out 4 glasses and filling them with milk.

"Sakura, it was Shikumaru and Neji."

Sakura turned, setting the glasses down. She gave the guys a smile.

"Morning."

She sat, Hinata sitting across from her. Neji took the seat next to Sakura, giving her a kiss on the cheek as he sat. She smiled at him. Shikumaru sighed and muttered something about troublesome pancakes and sat next to Hinata, who giggled and gave him a small smile. The friends sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company. Then Sakura spoke.

"I'm guessing you didn't come over for breakfast. Do we have another mission?"

Shikumaru shook his head.

"No…that'd be troublesome."

"Everything is troublesome with you Shika. Did you know we're thinking of putting 'this is a troublesome cake' on your next birthday cake?"

Hinata choked, swallowing quickly so she could laugh. Sakura laughed with her. They finally got a hold of themselves and looked at Shikumaru, promptly bursting out laughing again. Neji chuckled and gave Shikumaru a sympathetic look.

"Too bad for you Shikumaru, hm?"

"Shut up Neji."

After a few minutes of bantering between the boys, during which Hinata and Sakura tried to no avail to help each other stop laughing, they settled back into a comfortable silence. Neji broke the silence.

"Sakura, we found the information you were looking for."

Sakura paused in eating, fixing the guys with a look. Disbelief was clear on her face. Watching the guys quietly, the look turned to shock then excitement then a neutral expression. Hinata watched all this happen curiously.

"Sakura?"

Sakura turned abruptly, her ponytail almost smacking Neji in the face.

"It's nothing Hinata."

Hinata raised a brow quizzically but shrugged it off. Sakura had her reasons, and when she was ready, she'd tell her. She was fine with waiting.

**AWHILE LATER:**

"Hinata?"

Said kunoichi appeared. She poked her head out of the bathroom door.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to the hospital. Don't expect me home in time for dinner."

"Oh. Okay. Can you do something for me before you leave?"

Sakura titled her head to the right and then shrugged. She began walking to the bathroom.

"As long as it doesn't take to long."

Hinata pulled her friend into the bathroom and shut the door. Pulling out a kunai, Hinata handed it to the medic. She turned it over in her hands, looking at it quizzically. Holding it up so Hinata could see it in the mirror; she gave her friend a confused look.

"What, exactly, am I doing with this?"

Hinata sighed and gave her a what-do-you-think-dummy look.

"Cutting my hair."

Sakura did this little cough-choke thing, her eyes widening.

"What?"

Hinata heaved a great sigh and turned around in the chair she was sitting in. Taking one of Sakura's hands in hers, she fixed her with a serious look.

"Sakura, I can't explain it, but I feel like I need to do this. It's not going to be a big cut, just a few inches off. Please. Do this for me."

Sakura, seemingly getting over her initial shock, gave Hinata a thoughtful look. Her eyes softened and she nodded. Hinata gave her a smile and turned around.

"Hey Hinata?"

"Hm?"

"I'm going to do a little more than a trim okay?"

Hinata was silent for a moment.

"I trust you."

**ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER:**

Sakura stepped back, examining her work. She reached out, snipping a few ends and fluffing Hinata hair a bit.

"There you go. What do you think?"

Hinata opened her eyes and looked at her reflection. Her once waist long hair was now about an inch below her shoulders. Her bangs stayed like they were. The front of her hair was a shorter than the back and it got longer as it meet with the rest of her hair. Hinata ran a hand through her newly cut hair. She was speechless. Sakura looked on with a worried expression.

"Do you like it?"

"Oh Sakura!"

Hinata stood and wrapped her in a hug. Sakura, stunned by this, was slow to respond. Soon she was wrapping her arms around Hinata's frame and smiling to herself. She pulled away a few moments later.

"I would love to stay and chat, but I need to get to work."

Hinata smiled and kissed Sakura on the cheek. They walked to the door and Sakura waved as she walked down the apartment stairs and onto the walkway. She waved again as she disappeared around the corner. Hinata smiled, unconsciously running her hand through her hair. Turning around, she disappeared into the apartment and closed the door.

**END OF CHAPTER**

**Hi! Hope you liked this chapter. **

**Review please! **

**~!snow!~**


	5. Chapter 5

**HINATA POV:**

Rolling my shoulders back, I studied the change in my closet. All the old clothes had been thrown out, and replaced with my old ninja outfit. My old shoes had been thrown out as well, and a new pair of ninja sandals rested near the door of the apartment. I nodded to myself, quite satisfied. Closing the door gently, I wandered through Sakura's and I's apartment. Finding nothing extremely interesting to do, I decided to go to the training grounds. I haven't been to the Team's grounds in so long.

Heading into my room, I grabbed a jacket from the closet and slide it over my head. Pulling my hair out of its ponytail, I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my keys. Locking the door behind me, I started to wander down the street. Dodging some children, I turned to watch them for a moment. They ran around in circles, chasing each other and enjoying the bright day. I smiled contently as their laughter reached my highly trained hearing.

I made my way to the grounds quite easily. Finding it empty, I sat on the ground. I sat there at the edge for a moment, letting it soak in. The grounds hadn't seemed to change at all. Some birds chirped in the nearby forest. I smiled at the feeling of calmness the area gave me. Standing, I made my way over to the shade of some oaks that lined the beginning of the forest and the surrounding edge of the training grounds.

I sat on the ground in front of a tree, focusing my thoughts on the surrounding life energy. I settled into a meditative state, feeling all the natural energy of the area. Minutes passed, and I broke out of the trance at the sound of squirrels running around a tree trunk. Leaning against the tree I sat in front of, I let my mind wander away into nothingness. I don't know how long I sat there, but soon I could no longer feel the sun on my skin. A shadow fell onto my form, covering the last bit of the sunlight that made it's way through the failing light. Cracking my eyes open, I glanced at Neji.

"What's up niisan?"

He gave me a small smile and offered me his hand. I grasped it, letting him pull me up.

"Sakura and Shikumaru found something important."

I raised my brow quizzically, but followed him none the less. We made our way past Shikumaru's apartment, which he shared with Temari when she was here, and then past mine and Sakura's. I was seriously confused, hoping that we weren't headed toward the Hyuuga compound. Neji looked sideways at me.

"Hinata?"

"Where are we going?"

He must have realized what I was worried about, because he shook his head as we came up on the compound. We passed it in silence, and made our way to the gates of the village. Neji nodded to the guards on duty and then nodded back, turning there attention back to the shoji game they were playing. Neji led me a little ways away from the gate. Walking through the woods for a few minutes, we came up to a small cottage. Neji walked up to the door and knocked, then whispered something to the person on the other side of the door. The door opened and Neji turned to me.

"Come on Hinata. This could change everything."

**IN THE COTTAGE/CABIN/NORMAL POV:**

"Hina-chan! Hey!"

Hinata smiled at Sakura, who sneezed as a cloud of dust floated from the other side of the room, where Shikumaru was sorting through some books. Waving her hand in front of her face, Sakura gestured to Hinata to sit across from her.

"Hinata, we found something really important. This could change everything."

Hinata raised a brow, her eyes conveying the obvious disbelief and confusion.

"Two things. What is it? And what's it important to?"

Neji and Shikumaru both stopped what they were doing and came to sit around the table with the girls. Sakura shared a look with both of them, who nodded encouragingly. Sakura took a deep breath and grabbed Hinata's cool hands.

"Hinata….we think Naruto may still be alive."

**END OF CHAPTER:**

**Hope its okay. I'm sorry it's so short.**

**Review please!**

**~!snow!~**


	6. Chapter 6

Another chapter! Call me a miracle worker! Haha, just kidding.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto *sniffel*

**AT THE CABIN:**

Hinata stared at Sakura for a moment before blinking slowly. Her mouth opened and closed, but nothing except some strained breaths were heard. Suddenly she stood; her eyes alight with anger and a little fear. Grasping the edge of the table so hard it started to crack, she turned her gaze on all three of the ninja sitting across from her.

"Do you think this is _**funny**_? Why are you doing this to me? This is a horrible, cruel joke. I can't believe my three best friends would try and make fun of my pain like that!"

She continued to rant. Sakura watched with a smug smile as Hinata's purplish chakra began to swirl around her slightly. Neji's Byakugan activated, and his eyes quickly scanned his cousin's chakra system. He turned to Sakura, disbelief clear on his face.

"You were right. She's adapted some of Naruto's old chakra patterns."

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?"

Hinata's shout of frustration sent the three spiraling into the nearby wall as some chakra lashed out. Some books placed on the edge of a shelf teetered and fell. Sakura stood just in time to grab the few books. Walking toward Hinata, she placed the books on a nearby table.

"Hinata, relax. It's not a joke."

She made a slight movement with her index finger. Shikumaru and Neji got up, Neji coming to join his girlfriend and Shikumaru disappearing into the shadows. Hinata remained still, her chakra swirling around her slightly. Her pearly eyes seemed to dig deep into Sakura's. Suddenly, her eyes widened in panic. She tried to move, but found she couldn't.

"Good job, Shika."

Shikumaru nodded, Hinata copying his movement perfectly. Neji stepped forward, his Byakugan reactivating and lifting his palms. He attacked, hitting a few points before catching Hinata as she fell, drained from everything that was going on.

"Sorry Hinata."

"Hm…it's okay niisan. What was going on?"

Neji sat Hinata down and took the seat next to her. Shikumaru and Sakura moved to sit across from them.

"Hinata, I know this may be painful, but we have very strong evidence that shows Naruto is still alive."

"You mean…the blast didn't kill him?"

"No. We think that Naruto may have…had a back up jutsu. Look what we found."

Sakura handed a scroll from a nearby pile to Hinata. She unrolled it, her eyes darting quickly as she read the contents. Looking up, her eyes betrayed their disbelief.

"A sleeping jutsu?"

Sakura shook her head excitedly. Grabbing the scroll back, she laid it on the table. Everyone stood to see the information inside better. Sakura began to point here and there.

"Not just any sleeping jutsu. A particularly powerful one. You can cast it two ways. One way is to cast it on yourself and another way is to cast it on someone else. In Naruto's case, he probably cast it on himself."

Shikumaru took over.

"The jutsu would activate as soon as he let loose this seal."

He pointed at a kanji written in a strand.

"Then, he would remain dormant, or asleep, if you will, until he is either healed or…"

He trailed off, looking at Sakura.

"Or until the person whose chakra he combined with his own wakes him with this jutsu."

Sakura pointed to a stream of jutsu. This time Neji spoke.

"We've come up with the conclusion that he's probably waiting for the person whose chakra he's sealed with, since we know the fox's chakra would have healed him already."

Sakura rolled up the scroll and sat back down. Everyone else followed suit. Hinata rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"So you're telling me we need to find him and heal him?"

They nodded. It was quiet for a moment before Hinata stood abruptly, pushing the chair back. She turned on her heel, walking toward the door.

"I need a minute."

Opening the door, she walked out. The door slammed shut behind her. She glanced up at the sky, staring at the moon. It shimmered, and Hinata had a flashback.

**EPIC FLASHBACK TIME/SORRY IF IT SUCKS:**

"_Hinata."_

"_Hm?"_

_Hinata turned her head to gaze up at her boyfriend. He was looking at the sky, a soft smile on his lips. A thoughtful expression crossed his face. Then he turned to Hinata, beaming._

"_You know what?"_

"_What?"_

"_One day, I'm going to give you the moon."_

_Hinata's mouth fell open. Her eyes flew to the full moon, taking in its radiance and beauty. She sighed and turned to Naruto._

"_That's sweet, but I don't want the moon. She belongs in the sky."_

_Naruto was silent. His hand reached out to capture Hinata's chin and he brought her face up to his. He gave her a tiny kiss, and then leaned back in the grass. Hinata followed his example and pressed herself close to him, throwing her arms around his waist. He responded by placing an arm around her shoulders, letting her head rest on his chest. _

"_Why do you want to give me the moon?"_

"_Because it's the only thing that's almost as beautiful as you."_

_Hinata blushed, a soft pink spreading across her cheeks. Naruto, oblivious, sighed happily. He turned onto his side, burying his nose in Hinata's hair. _

"_It's also a sign."_

"_A sign of what, Naruto-kun?"_

"_A sign that I would never give up on you, never give up for you. If you wanted the moon, I would keep trying until I got it for you."_

_They were silent for a moment. Then Naruto's head perked up, and he looked down at Hinata with a devilish grin. _

"_Wanna get some ramen? My treat."_

"_Sure."_

**END OF FLASHBACK:**

Hinata's face softened at the memory. She continued to gaze at the moon.

"_A sign that I would never give up on you, never give up for you."_

Hinata's fist clenched. Her gaze fell from the moon to the forest floor. She wiped away a lone tear. I won't give up on you either Naruto, she thought fiercely. Then she turned and headed back to the cabin. Knocking on the door, she quirked her brow as Sakura peeked through the eye hole.

"Well? What's the plan?"

**END OF CHAPTER:**

**Did it totally suck? I'm sorry! Please don't be upset. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Review please!**

**~!snow!~**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

**IN TH CABIN:**

Shikumaru grabbed a scroll and rolled it out on a table. Everyone gathered around, leaning in.

"This is the plan. All four of us are going to go, because we don't know whose chakra Naruto will accept. We'll leave this morning at dawn. Sakura and I came up with a list of potential places that Naruto could have ended up. We drew it in a 5 mile radius. We'll ask around the towns in that radius and follow any leads. Even if they sound ridiculous. We can never be sure."

Sakura broke in, pulling out another scroll and laying it onto of Shikumaru's.

"Here's a map. We have to get to the location we last saw him at, then go from there. I'll take care of all the medic supplies Hinata, you focus on weapons. Maybe bring some of the potions you've been playing with."

"What about the Hokage?"

"I already talked to Shishiou. We're getting a vacation. Our leave of absence is undetermined. There'll be backup available if we need it."

Everyone nodded. Sakura stood, grabbing the scrolls and two others from a nearby stack. She placed them in her bag and turned to the door.

"Neji and Shikumaru will go first. After about 10 minutes, Hinata and I will follow."

The guys nodded and left the cabin. Hinata remained silent. Sakura turned, a worried look on her face.

"Are you okay Hina?"

"What….what was that chakra?"

"It was your chakra. You must have adapted some of Naruto's old chakra patterns, which means that you have his emotional fuse. You get to angry, to sad, and you blow. You have more control than Naruto does, but not much."

"How did I adapt it?"

"I don't really know. I think he messed with your chakra flow when he took some of it for the sleeping jutsu."

They were quiet for a moment. Sakura stood and turned to Hinata.

"It's time to go."

Hinata nodded and followed Sakura out the door. They walked in silence, each consumed in their own thoughts. Just outside the gates, Sakura reached for Hinata's arm. Pulling her to a stop, she fixed Hinata with a firm gaze.

"Hinata…only use it in times of extreme measures. It could do a lot of damage, and unlike Naruto, you won't bounce back. You'll collapse, leaving you defenseless."

"Will it always be like that?"

"No. When we get back I'll help you train. Naruto will to, since he has more control over it."

Sakura turned around and walked to the gates. Hinata followed silently, contemplating what Sakura said. She was so deep in thought she almost ran into Sakura. Said kunoichi turned and gave Hinata a grin.

"We'll meet back here at dawn."

"Right."

They parted ways and leapt onto different rooftops. Just as suddenly as they were there, they were gone.

**AT DAWN:**

"Neji, Sakura!"

"Took you long enough."

Shikumaru pushed himself off the gate and quirked a brow at the two lovers. Sakura smiled nervously and rubbed the back of her head. Neji remained impassive, though a small twitch near his mouth indicated a smile trying to break through. Hinata smiled and turned to the gate.

"You all ready?"

"Ya. Let's go."

The four ninja walked just outside the gates, nodding at the guards as they passed. One guard reached out and caught Sakura's arm. The others turned to watch their exchange, but Sakura waved them off. They turned and walked on.

"Sakura…Lady Tsunade wanted me to give this to you."

The ninja held out a scroll. Sakura took it, opening it slightly. Her eyes widened and they flickered to meet the guards.

"What…does she think we'll need it?"

"She said she was sending it….as a precaution."

Sakura tucked it into her pack silently. Then she turned, ready to leave. The guard grabbed her arm once again, pulling her into the shadows. He tore off his mask, reviling a handsome but gruff face with sad brown eyes.

"Sakura…bring back Hinata. Shino and I...we never see her. We miss her…more than we miss Naruto."

"Are you saying you want me to leave Naruto if it's going to cost Hinata's life, Kiba?"

Kiba nodded, his dog tags jingling slightly with the movement. Sakura pulled away, shaking her head sadly. Then she turned, and began to walk away. Kiba called out to her.

"Sakura! Please…."

She stopped and turned to him slightly.

"I promise they will both return alive and well."

Then she turned and headed back to the group, nodding. The four figures disappeared into nothing, heading toward the forest.

**LATER THAT NIGHT:**

"Alright. Hinata, Shikumaru, you two take first watch."

They both nodded and hopped into a nearby tree. Neji and Sakura settled down, resting against each other comfortable under a tree. The fire was the only light, except the moon. Hinata watched silently as her dearest friends fell asleep next to the fire, soft shadows playing across their faces.

"What a drag. I bet it's troublesome to sleep on the floor."

Hinata giggled at Shikumaru's remark. She turned to him, quirking her eyebrow mockingly.

"You're going to be sleeping on it later, you know."

Shikumaru laughed quietly, trying not to disturb the sleeping ninja below them. He sauntered over, his hands pushed him his pockets. Leaning his back against the tree trunk, he slide down, coming to a stop next to Hinata. She smiled and poked him lightly. He swatted her hand away good naturedly and closed his eyes, leaning back.

"Hinata."

"Hm. What is it Shika?"

"I'm sorry."

Hinata opened her previously closed eyes, turning her head to look at Shikumaru. His eyes were still closed, but his face was tense.

"What…why are you sorry?"

"I knew. I knew what Naruto was going to do and I didn't stop him."

His eyes snapped open and he turned to look at Hinata. Her own eyes blurred with tears at the anguish and guilt clouding her friend's eyes. She reached over and grasped his hand in hers and he leaned against her heavily. She could feel him draw a shaky breath.

"He told me before hand. He wanted me to know what he was planning, so I could have everyone cleared away. Especially you. He didn't even want you on the mission, but he knew you'd suspect something if he denied your presence on such a simple mission."

He paused, drawing another breath.

"He knew what was going to happen before it did. He gave me a scroll that would open the moment he died. I suppose it was just a releasing jutsu, since he isn't really dead. Anyhow, he told me to share it with Sakura. In it, he told us about the cabin and told us to never give up. I can't believe I didn't realize he was serious. I thought he was just being careful. That was my first mistake. Naruto was never careful. He was such a blond."

He gave a dry chuckle that turned into a choked sob. Turning to Hinata, he sighed shakily. Tears began to fall and made a clear, sparkling path down his face.

"That's not the worst part though. The worst part was that I didn't tell anyone else. I didn't take him seriously. And for that, he's been gone for 2 years. 2 years of misery I've caused so many people. The village lost their Hokage, Gaara his first friend, Sakura her brother, and you. You, I cause the most pain for. I caused you the loss of your love."

Shikumaru's voice broke at the end, and he hung his head. His hand withdrew from Hinata's, wrapping his arms around his knees, which he drew up to his chest. Hinata sat forward and turned to Shikumaru. Slowly, so slowly, she wrapped her arms around his slightly shaking frame. He leaned against her, and she held him as he calmed down. After a few moments, she pushed him away gently.

"Shika…I don't blame you. Besides, Naruto's not even really dead. He's alive, waiting for us. So you didn't really do anything. You can't blame yourself. No one can. I would know…I used to blame myself."

Shikumaru smiled sadly, reaching up his hand to wipe the tears from his eyes. He stood, stretching his back. Sniffing a few times, he turned to Hinata, offering her his hand.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're a genius?"

Hinata grinned, placing her hand in his.

"Tons."

He pulled her up, giving her a small, one-armed hug. He kissed her head gently, musing her hair slightly with his hand. Then he grinned and looked toward their sleeping comrades.

"So…I thought I saw a stream nearby. You get the buckets; I'll open the sleeping bags."

Hinata smiled lightly.

"Sounds like a plan."

**END OF CHAPTER**

**How'd you like it? I realized Shikumaru didn't really have a big part in this story, but he is in Naruto's close group of friends. I felt like he and Hinata needed to share a moment. Did you like it? What do you think should happen next? Should they find Naruto in a town or where the battle was at encased in a protective shield of the Kyubi's chakra….did I spell Kyubi right?**

**Review please!**

**~!snow!~**


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did….well, ya, we're not getting into that. ^^ Oh, and sorry about the time skip.

**FOUR DAYS LATER:**

The group of ninja stopped, resting on their respective branches, trying to catch their breath. Shikumaru held his arm close to his side, trying to stop the blood flow. Sakura jumped to the branch in front of her and leaned over, touching Shikumaru's arm. Her hand glowed green, and Shikumaru relaxed, leaning against the tree trunk. Neji and Hinata migrated towards the branch they were sitting on and sat around Shikumaru.

"Just our luck to run into a group of jonin status rogue ninja from the most ruthless village in the country."

Sakura nodded at Neji's statement while Shikumaru muttered under his breath something about 'stupid sound' and 'they aren't even around anymore, the idiots.' Sakura snickered, leaning back to better reach his arm. His eyebrows furrowed slightly in pain and Neji and Sakura shared a worried look. Hinata looked up, her eyes going from person to person. She let a hiss of air escape through her teeth, turning everyone's attention to her.

"What are we going to do? We've been traveling no stop for four days and there's still no sign of him."

Hinata sighed, rubbing her face with one hand, a light blue chakra surrounding it. Neji reached over and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Gratefully, she leaned against him heavily, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. Sakura leaned back and sat against the trunk next to Shikumaru, done with his shoulder. They remained thoughtfully silent, all thinking about the same issue. Suddenly, Sakura started to laugh. Everyone turned to look at her as she got up, still laughing. She held her stomach lightly, resting against the tree to hold her up. Hinata stood quickly, and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Sakura! Take a deep breath and calm down."

Sakura gulped in several breaths of air and continued to wheeze and laugh at the same time. Hinata rolled her eyes and slapped Sakura's cheek slightly, the chakra surrounding her hand adding to the effect. Sakura stopped laughing and just stood there muttering.

"I question your sanity."

Sakura looked up at Hinata, her eyes gleaming with laughter.

"It's too late for that. Your sanity has to be gone if you're doing what we're doing."

Everyone nodded in silent agreement. Then Sakura straightened and pulled Hinata into a hug before sitting back down. Hinata looked puzzled, an eyebrow rose elegantly in an arch. Then she shrugged and sat down across from Sakura.

"Why didn't we think of this before?"

"Think of what before, Sakura?"

"We've checked every village in the nearby area. We ever skimmed the outskirts of Sound, even though it's nothing but a waste land now. The one place we didn't check was Ame."

Neji stood, speaking softly but harshly.

"He wouldn't be there. Think about it!"

"Neji's right."

Shikumaru reached into his bag and brought out a bingo book. He flipped it open, giving it to Sakura.

"All the Akatsuki practically live there. It's their home base. Naruto wouldn't be in the place of the enemy, he's smarter than that. Besides, how will we get into Ame?"

Sakura sighed impatiently. Snapping the bingo book shut, she handed it off to Shikumaru.

"I know who resides there. That's why I think we should go!"

"Wait…"

Everyone turned to Hinata, who was thinking. She looked up, a smile beginning to spread across her face. She grabbed Sakura's hands and began to speak.

"You're a genius Sakura! Who would ever suspect their enemy to hide in their own home? We could always sneak in under a henge and hid our chakra!"

She and Sakura smiled and wrapped each other in a hug. Shikumaru and Neji smirked when they realized what was going on. Finally, the girls pulled out of the hug and turned to the guys.

"So, when are we going to go?"

**THE NEXT MORNING: **

"Alright, let's go. We'll look for him in groups of two. Shikumaru and Hinata, and Neji and I. Don't go too far from each other. We may need back up."

Everyone nodded.

"Henges up. Neji and I will go in first. Hinata, you and Shikumaru are going to follow us in a few minutes later."

Hinata nodded and activated her henge. She now had shoulder length brown hair, with bright blue eyes and was a few inches taller than she was before. She wore a black tank top and brown ninja pants with blue sandals. Sakura nodded and activated her own henge. Sakura was now a few inches shorter and had long black hair. Emerald orbs scanned the area as her henge was completed. She wore what Hinata usually wore, except that it was all black with hints of light green. They turned to the boys.

Shikumaru let his hair out and changed his eyes to blue. He wore a fishnet tank top and a blue jacket over it. He had on black ninja pants and blue ninja shoes. Neji's hair was now shorter and spikier and was a light blond. He had gray eyes and wore practically the same thing as Shikumaru, except for the fact he had no jacket, just a jonin style vest.

"Good. Come on Neji."

He and Sakura took off, carrying their packs. Hinata and Shikumaru sat down and prepared to wait for awhile.

**END OF CHAPTER:**

**HI! I'm back from camp…which sucked, just so you know. . Oh, and I'm going to be updating one chapter every week for this story, just so you have something to look forward to. It'll probably be every Wednesday. **

**I love you, my readers! Thanks so much for being patient with me and not chasing me with pitchforks and torches. xD**

**Review please, you wonderful people!**

**~!snow!~**


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. How sad for me…so good for everyone else. xD

**WITH HINATA AND SHIKUMARU: **

The two remaining ninja sat on the edge of the tree, waiting for the appropriate time to enter the village. Shikumaru kept shaking his hair and blowing it out of his eyes. Hinata, who was watching him, couldn't help but giggle. He peeked at her from under his hair and stuck his tongue out. She snickered and turned her attention, and her Byakugan, back to the general direction of the village.

"Hey Shika?"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember the day Naruto…disappeared?"

Shikumaru remained quiet for a moment. With a sad sigh, one that seemed to echo through the forest, he leaned back against the tree.

"How could I forget?"

_FLASHBACK TIME:_

"_I'm so excited!"_

_A few chuckles were heard. The Hokage, the ever energetic blond, was practically hopping to and fro in his excitement. A nearby ANBU snickered._

"_I don't see why. It's just a trip to Suna."_

_Naruto rolled his eyes childishly._

"_I know that Neji! I can't wait because when we get there-"_

_His voice dropped to a whisper and he glanced behind him, looking at the last two ANBU, who were engaged in conversation. He motioned Neji closer._

"_When we get there I'm going to propose to Hinata!"_

_He grinned. Without the seemingly slightest movement, Naruto's head jerked forward, as if he was slapped upside the head. He rubbed his head lightly, pouting like a spoiled child. _

"_That was mean Neji!"_

_Said ANBU just continued to walk, though if he wasn't wearing a mask, you could see a slight smirk. _

_FLASHBACK END:_

Hinata giggled softly.

"Now I know why everyone was grinning whenever they looked at me."

Shikumaru smiled. Hinata moved to sit beside him.

"Hinata?"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember the mission we had to get rid of sound?"

Hinata snickered, brushing some hair out of her eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You know you do. Don't you remember the look on Kabuto's face when we walked in?"

Hinata laughed and let loose a smile.

"Ya. And then Naruto tossed him Orochimaru's head. He shrieked like a little girl and dropped it. Naruto was laughing so hard Sakura ended up having to kill Kabuto."

"Good times."

They remained silent, listening to the wind rustle the leaves. Hinata stood, stretching her back, making it crack softly. Shikumaru stood and they began to walk to the entrance of the Ame village.

"What about the day Naruto became Hokage?"

_FLASHBACK TIME AGAIN:_

_Hinata looked out across the crowd of people, staring in awe at how everyone in the village could fit into such a small spot. Her eyes found Sakura's, and she headed over to her sister and surrogate brother. _

"_Hey Sakura, Neji."_

"_Hi Hinata."_

"_Hello."_

_They turned their attention to the balcony above their heads. A few of their other friends trickled in. Soon, all the Rookie 9 and Team Guy had gathered right in front of the balcony. Ten Ten leaned over, resting her hand of Sakura's shoulder._

"_So why was everyone called here?"_

_Sakura and Hinata shared a look. They were the only ones that knew. Sakura shrugged._

"_I haven't the faintest. I hope they hurry up though."_

_Just as she finished her sentence, Tsunade appeared. Her Hokage hat was on her head, but she didn't have the robe on. She smiled, holding up her hands to stop the clapping._

"_People of Konaha. It has been a pleasure being your Hokage. I'm sad to say it's time I leave."_

_This statement was followed with shouts of protests. Tsunade held her hands up again and the crowd quieted almost immediately. _

"_It is with greater pleasure that I introduce to you your new Hokage."_

_With that a tall figure walked onto the balcony. His blond spikes had grown out and were down to his shoulders, and his blue eyes scanned the crowd, filled to the brim with sure confidence. _

"_Uzumaki Naruto!"_

_Roars of approval were heard. Tsunade took her hat off her head. Naruto kneeled in front of her on his knee. Without a word, she placed the hat on his head and he rose to his feet. He turned to the crowd, the hat pulled over his eyes. Just as suddenly as it was there, it was in his hand as he pulled it off. His other hand went out to form a thumbs up._

"_Believe it!"_

_FLASHBACK END AGAIN:_

"That was a wonderful day. Naruto was so happy."

"Everyone was."

The companions fell into silence as they came upon the gates. Time to stop reminiscing. Now was what mattered. And they'd be damned if they didn't make it count.

**END OF CHAPTER:**

**Okay, so catching up. Sasuke died, Naruto killed him in the first chapter. The sound was destroyed. Naruto became Hokage. Hope this was okay. Sorry the ending sucked ass.**

**Review even though I suck!**

**~!snow!~**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclamer: I do not own Naruto. Tear, tear.

**SKIP TO WHERE THEY ARE ALL IN AME:**

Hinata looked around, her eyes darting here and there. Shikumaru grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the way of a building. She giggled nervously and Shikumaru smirked, before both of them turned to look around again. Spotting a head full of spiky blond locks, they headed after the target. Within a few moments, Hinata sighed and shook her head, heading back the other way. Shikumaru followed her. Hinata's communication device cackled.

"Hey, we found something. Come to the North edge of the market."

"Copy that."

Shikumaru and Hinata began to walk faster, dodging things here and there. Finally, they reached the North edge. Hinata spotted Sakura and Neji first, and pulled Shikumaru over to them.

"What'd you find?"

Neji turned to them, a smile on his face. He nodded toward Sakura, who was talking to a little old lady, who had black hair and gorgeous emerald eyes. Sakura then turned to, her eyes shimmering with happiness.

"This is my great-aunt Lucy. Naruto's at her house!"

Hinata stood silently. Her mind twirled the possibility of her love being alive and within walking distance of her. Sure, she had gone along with the plan, even had hope, but to actually have it happening? Actually finding him? She broke out of her thoughts when Neji gave her a hug, leaning close to whisper in her ear.

"We found him Hinata…he's coming home."

___She let loose a relived sigh, hugging her beloved cousin back. Sakura reached back, grabbing Hinata's hand in hers. She pulled her forward, making sure that they remained together through the crowds in the market. Hinata tucked her arm into her friends elbow. They stayed close to each other, occasionally looking at each other and grinning in anticipation. They soon exited the crowd of people and then walked out of the market area all together. _

___Hinata looked around, memorizing the path and their location. She knew her teammates would be doing the same thing, but it didn't matter. Finally, the group stopped at a little grey house. Making their way through the white picket fence and up the stone pathway, Lucy led them to the front step. Taking out a key, she held it up to Sakura, looking her in the eye._

_"__I'm trusting you niece. Put it in the cat's necklace when you're on your way out."_

___Sakura nodded and Lucy placed the key in her palm. With a single wave, she made her way back down the steps and disappeared around the corner, seemingly on her way back to the market. Sakura, still clutching the key, turned her attention back to the door. Slowly she placed the key in the keyhole and twisted. The door swung open. Shikumaru sighed and stepped around Sakura and Hinata, who had both frozen. He disappeared inside. In a few seconds he reappeared at the door. _

_"__It's clear downstairs. Come on in."_

___He turned and walked back inside. Everyone followed, Hinata coming in last. She shut the door, but remained in the main room. She could hear her friends making their way up the stairs. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the living room. Suddenly, a soft thump, followed by a crash, echoed through the house. Hinata tensed, and then launched herself up the stairs. She came to the first door, which was slightly cracked open. Making her way into the room, she breathed a sigh of relief. Sakura was fussing over a large tabby cat and Neji was picking up pieces of a broken lamp. Shikumaru sat on the bed, mumbling about troublesome cats. She made her way out of the room, looking around the hallway. _

___She made her way to the door across the hall and opened the door. After scanning the room, she deemed it empty and made her way to the last door in the hall. She opened it, sighing as her search reviled nothing. Her pale eyes darted around curiously, and with a slight mumble she activated her Byakugan. Her lither body tensed and she darted out of the room. Sakura, whose head was peeked out of the other door, quickly followed her sister-in-law down the stairs. In the living room, Sakura grabbed Shikumaru and Neji. Finally, Hinata came to a stop. Underneath the stairs was a door. She reached out to it, grasping the door handle tightly. Taking a deep breath, she pulled it open. Neji, Sakura, and Shikumaru stumbled back as a strong chakra wave swept through the room. _

___Hinata didn't move an inch, instead staring at the man she thought dead for two years. She vaguely heard a shout in her haze, but ignored it. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced her side. She mumbled, reaching down to pull out the kunai. Looking up, she glared at Sakura, who shrugged apologetically. _

_"__You need to wake him up Hinata! We can't get any closer; you're the only one that can do it."_

___Sakura spoke softly, but Hinata heard her still. The chakra waves coming off the blond where strong, though they seemed to roll right over and around her. Breathing deeply, she stepped forward. The chakra seemed to part as she walked, going around her as though she was surrounded by an invisible bubble. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she reached the blond. She reached into her back pocket and withdrew the scroll, opening it. After biting her thumb to draw some blood, she smeared it onto the release jutsu in the scroll. A loud buzzing filled her ears. Without a second thought, she flung herself in the direction of the loudest buzzing. _

___Slowly the buzzing disappeared and Hinata could feel the chakra surrounding her begin to trickle into nothingness. She tightened her arms around whatever she had a hold of and was rewarded with a soft 'oof'. Her eyes snapped open, widening. With her arms still wrapped around the strong, warm board, she looked up. Her silver eyes began to shimmer as unshed tears reached her eyes. Blue eyes, the color of the ocean, held hers steadily. _

_"__Naruto…"_

___His foxy grin appeared. With a slight wink, he stood up, pulling Hinata with him. Spinning her around in a circle, he laughed joyfully. He set her down, looking into her eyes lovingly._

_"__I knew you would come for me Hinata-koi."_

___With that he leaned down and kissed her._

___**END OF CHAPTER:**_

___**Stupid ending huh? Oh, koi means love. So he called her Hinata-love. Hope you liked this chapter.**_

___**Review even though I don't deserve it please! Por favor, por favor, por favor!**_

___**~!snow!~**_


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Too bad for me.

**LATER THAT DAY/IN THE FOREST OUTSIDE AME:**

The group of ninja, now a group of 5, flew through the trees. They came to a clearing, with trees blocking the view of anyone trying to find them. They all came to a stop, landing on the floor of the forest softly. Without thinking, Hinata threw herself at Naruto. His hands immediately wrapped around her waist and he spun her around once before setting her on the floor.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

Between each word of thanks, Hinata gave him a quick kiss. A soft cough broke through the moment the long parted lovers where sharing. They turned to the other ninja. Sakura held her arms out, a faked hurt expression on her face.

"As much as I hate to ruin the moment, I want some of the love!"

Naruto laughed and pulled her into a hug. Without a second though, Sakura grabbed Hinata and pulled her into the hug as well. The three stood in a tight circle, holding onto each other tightly. Finally, Sakura pulled back. She wiped away some tears.

"I miss you Naruto."

"I missed you to Sakura."

He gave her a soft smile. Naruto had seemed to age 10 years while he was gone. Actions speak louder than words, goes the saying, and Naruto wasn't as outgoing as he was. He seemed reserved, but not in a bad way. He appeared to have become more mature and thoughtful. The blond spikes he had stuck to through his childhood had grown out to a little below his shoulder, falling much like the 4th Hokage's had. His blue eyes were still as bright as ever and they seemed to shine with happiness. Naruto turned to Hinata again and wrapped his arms around her waist, on hand going up to fiddle with the tips of her hair.

"I love your hair cut Koi."

Hinata blushed. She wrapped her arms around his torso and gave him a light squeeze and released him, pushing him gently towards Neji and Shikumaru. Both men seemed to be suspended in time, but then wrapped their arms around Naruto. Neji pulled away, letting Shikumaru get his hug in. Naruto smiled at the two of them, clasping both of their hands and pulling their forearms to touch.

"I missed you guys. Been taking care of my girls?"

"'Course."

At this point, Hinata had come to stand next to Naruto, his arm wrapped around her shoulder, her arm around his waist. Neji had grabbed Sakura's hand, holding it in his tightly. Naruto grinned.

"Finally tied the knot then?"

Sakura bit her lip and giggled. Neji smirked, tapping his knuckles against Naruto's. Said ninja turned to his genius friend.

"What about you Shika? Married to Temari yet?"

"Nah, women are too troublesome."

Naruto turned to look at Hinata, stroking the side of her face with his free hand.

"I wouldn't say that."

Everyone smiled at the couple. Suddenly, Neji tensed.

"We have company. Three strong chakra signatures headed this way."

"Best to run. Come on."

The group followed Shikumaru as he jumped to the first branch he could get to and began to run. Naruto and Hinata ran behind him. Sakura and Neji brought up the rear. The group dashed through the trees, trying to shake the people tracking them. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a little clay spider exploded in front of Shikumaru. He lost his balance, falling off the tree and landing on his back. Neji jumped up to take his spot, while Hinata and Naruto jumped down to his side. Sakura and Neji stood in front of the three, Neji's Byakugan checking the area.

"Is he alright Hinata?"

"Knocked unconscious. The bomb got some of the ligaments in his right calf. Want me to fix it?"

Sakura nodded, keeping her attention on the area surrounding them. She barley had any time to move when a clay bomb hit her dead on. Pushing herself backwards with a bit of chakra, she desperately pooled chakra into the hit artery in her neck. As the wound started to cover itself, she blacked out. Naruto moved quickly enough to catch her before she fell to the floor. Hinata moved her hand over the artery, nodding and pouring a bit of chakra into the area to ensure proper healing. Neji was busy trying to block the onslaught of spider bombs raining down on the group.

"Rotation technique!"

Neji's chakra began to form into a dome, completely surrounding him and his companions. Clay spiders, along with kunais and shuriken, fall to the ground of explode as they hit the barrier of his chakra. The chakra fades away, and Neji begins it again, only to be stopped when a kunai hits him, sending him hurtling towards a tree behind his companions. He crashes into the tree, causing said tree to fold in half, trapping Neji. Hinata stands as Naruto pulls the tree off Neji.

"Thanks so much for bringing the Kyubi out for us, hm."

A flurry of leaves reviles a man in an Akatsuki cloak. His blond hair is partly pulled into a ponytail, another part hanging in front of his eye. He smirks. Hinata grabs a kunai, twirling it in her hand. Pupiless eyes narrow as they stare into the enemy's blue ones.

"Deidara of Akatsuki."

He bowed, standing back up with a grin.

"I'm honored, hm."

"Don't be."

"Feisty! I'll just be taking the boy now, hm."

"Over my dead body!"

Deidara grinned.

"That could be arranged, hm."

Hinata tensed, ready to spring forward. However, a sharp pain in her neck stopped her from moving. Her body crumpled to the forest floor, her eyes struggling to remain open. The last thing she saw was the blond picking up Naruto's unconscious body and jumping on a huge clay bird.

**LATER THAT DAY:**

Hinata ran as fast as she could. She could vaguely hear Neji calling her name, but she didn't stop, didn't even slow down. She had to get to Naruto as fast as she could. She had just gotten him back, there was no way she was losing him again so soon.

_I'm coming Naruto!_

**END OF CHAPTER:**

**I suck at endings. I've finally realized that! Please review, even though this chapter sucked and was a day late.**

**~!snow!~**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto….sadly.**

**WITH HINATA:**

Her hair flew behind her as she followed the strong chakra trail that was left behind by Naruto. It was a little difficult, seeing as his chakra was falling from the sky and landing on forest floor. Hinata came to a stop outside a giant cave, not unlike the one that Gaara was in when his one-tailed beast was removed. She watched quietly, waiting to see if they noticed her arrival. When no one came out, she stood. As she moved to enter the cave, a hand shot out of the forest behind her and pulled her to a stop. She turned, anger clearly written on her features.

"What!"

"Lower your voice Hinata."

Hinata trembled lightly in rage. Sakura let her wrist go, moving her hand to instead stroke Hinata's hair. Neji and Shikumaru came to a stop next to them. The latter began drawing in the dirt with his finger.

"Sakura will get rid of the boulder for us, like last time. The rest of us will go in and try to grab Naruto. Once we have him, Hinata will take him and try to escape. Sakura, Neji, and I will hold off Deidara and whoever else is there."

Sakura shook her head.

"Two things. One, you have to go with Hinata. They'll need someone to hold off a purser, if there is one. And second….what if they're all there this time? Naruto holds the nine-tailed beast, which means that they'll need a lot more power to extract it from him."

Neji nodded.

"Sakura and I will stay behind and fight."

"Fine."

Hinata, positively pissed they weren't with Naruto already, growled lightly.

"Can we get going now?"

"Yes. Sakura?"

Said kunoichi smirked and stood, launching herself at the boulder and hitting it with her fist. It crumbled to dust, making no sound at all. The team ran in, all stopping when they came upon the scene. The setting seemed to be an exact replica of where they found Gaara. A large figure carved into a stone held 8 open eyes and 1 eye that was slowly opening. All of the reaming Akatsuki stood on separate fingers, their eyes closed in concentration, their hands held in the RAM sign.

Naruto seemed to be floating in the middle of the hands, his body still. The red chakra from the Kyubi surrounded Naruto and appeared to be getting sucked into the statue. His usually blue eyes were open, red chakra pouring from them at an alarming rate. Hinata tensed. Neji's hand rested on her shoulder and his fingers dug into her skin lightly to keep her from moving. Sakura and Shikumaru exchanged a glance before disappearing in a blur. Suddenly, two Akatsuki dropped to the floor, dead. This caused the rest of them to drop the jutsu and look around.

"Looking for someone?"

They turned their attention to Hinata, who stood twirling a kunai in her hand. Neji and Shikumaru stood on either side of her. Behind them, Sakura kneeled over an unconscious Naruto. The Akatsuki leader, Pein, growled menacingly.

"Give us the jinchurikin and we might let you live to fight us in the Final Battle."

Neji smirked.

"Don't you know? This _is_ the Final Battle."

Without a word, Hinata dropped back to Sakura's side. Shikumaru and Neji charged forward, both flying through the hand seals for their best jutsu quicker than the eye could see. They weren't ANBU for nothing after all. Hinata touched Sakura's shoulder.

"Is he going to be alright?"

"No…he's dying."

Without another word, Sakura's hands flew through some seals. She began to heal Naruto's cuts and his broken arm. Hinata quivered and stood.

"I'm going to go help the guys."

"Be safe."

"Right."

She took off, launching herself at a blue haired woman, who was about to kill Shikumaru with a sneak attack. Sakura looked after her for a moment, making sure she wasn't coming back, and then began a new set of hand seals.

Tiger-Serpent-Dog-Dragon

"The forbidden jutsu, Reanimation!"

She then slapped her hands together. Several of the Akatsuki's heads swiveled to look at her, their expressions displaying disbelief. This gave Hinata and Shikumaru the opportunity to kill both of their opponents. Everyone snapped back into action as Neji made his way to Sakura's side.

"Sakura! What are you doing?"

"Saving Naruto."

"You'll die from this jutsu! It's forbidden for a reason!"

Neji turned, blocking an onslaught of kunai. Hinata jumped to fend off the attacking Akatsuki. Neji turned back to Sakura, but kept his Byakugan firmly fixed on the fights going on.

"Orochimaru didn't die. Trust me Neji. I know what I'm doing."

Suddenly she stood, launching herself at Neji and knocking him down. Zetsu, the Akatsuki that had flew toward Neji, slid to a stop on the ground. Sakura picked herself up, swinging her foot toward the offending plant-man.

"Hinata! Shikumaru!"

Both of the ninja nodded and disappeared, only to reappear beside Naruto's body. Shikumaru picked Naruto up, swinging his body onto his back before taking off. Hinata turned to, before looking at her cousin and best friend.

"Come on!"

"Go Hinata! We'll follow soon."

Hinata nodded firmly before flying out of the cave. Sakura and Neji came back to back, and as they twisted and turned, Sakura spoke.

"Go after them Neji. I'm going to stop this once and for all."

"Sakura, don't do anything rash. You only have about half of your chakra left! Let me stay and help."

"No! You need to watch over everyone at home, alright?"

"What does that mean?"

Without a word, Sakura jumped, flipping over the remaining Akatsuki's heads and landing on the top of the statue's head, were only 8 eyes were open. She wiped out a scroll, unraveling it and biting her finger, signing her name and some coordinates before tossing the scroll into the air.

"Thank you Kiba…"

The scroll hovered in the air above her head and she began to glow lightly. She glanced at the remaining Akatsuki. There stood Itachi, Pein, Konan, Zetsu, and Kakuzu. She sighed, relieved that Neji was not in the group. Her body tensed as her body was pulled against a muscular chest.

"Neji!"

"You don't have the chakra to perform this jutsu Sakura. Let me help you."

"We'll both die if you stay."

Neji remained silent until the stones of the cave began to shake and fall, trapping everyone inside. The Akatsuki seemed frozen, unable to move, as they were caught in the jutsu the scroll was performing. As the scroll grew too bright to look at, he hugged Sakura tightly.

"So be it."

**END OF CHAPTER:**

**OMG! I know this is supposed to be a NarutoXHinata…but I couldn't resist the temptation. What did you guys think? The last chapter will be up later tonight or tomorrow. **

**~!snow!~**


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

**6 MONTHS LATER:**

Three people stood in front of two tombstones. The sky was a bright blue, seeming to glitter as white birds flew through the sky. In the distance, children's laughter could be heard, light and joyous. One of the ninja lifted his head, turning to the other two.

"I'm going to go. I have to get ready for tonight."

"Alright Shika. We'll see you later."

"Bye Hinata, Naruto."

With that he disappeared in a puff of white smoke. Naruto chuckled lightly, waving his hand in front of his eyes to get rid of the smoke. He turned to Hinata, now his fiancé. He grabbed her tightly, pulling her into his arms and pressing her against his chest. She let out a content sigh, a sound so light and airy it could have been her breathing.

"I miss them."

"We all do."

After Hinata had left the cave and caught up with Shikumaru, they had continued on to Konoha, sure that Sakura and Neji would meet up with them soon. It wasn't until a few minutes later, when a large explosion that lit the sky and shook the ground, did they realize their friends would not be joining them. Neji and Sakura had sacrificed themselves in order to save the people they loved and had defeated the biggest threat since Orochimaru in the process.

When Hinata, Shikumaru, and Naruto had returned, they were immediately ushered into the care of the Hokage and Shizune. Tsunade had been devastated when they told her Sakura wouldn't be coming back, practically breaking down in the hospital room the three were in. Shizune, choked with tears, had only gathered Tsunade in her arms and cried with her. Hinata had climbed into Naruto's bed and sat crying into his shoulder.

A week later the gravestones where put up, along with their names carved into the memorial stone. Tsunade resigned as Hokage and Naruto once again became Hokage. The same week, Naruto held a ceremony for Sakura and Neji. The whole village showed up, the civilians included. Several ninja from the Sand village, including the Sabaku siblings, came as well.

Naruto, as his first decree as the restored Hokage, ordered new textbooks for the ninja academies. In them, the battle which ended the Akatsuki was called the Final Battle. It told of Naruto becoming Hokage, him killing Sasuke and being presumed dead, and his dearest friends search for him. It ended with announcing Sakura Hyuuga and Neji Hyuuga the hero's of the Final Battle.

Now, six months later, life was moving on. Kakashi spent more time at the memorial stone than ever, but everyone did. Every week, the Rookie 9, their sensei's, Team Gai, and occasionally the Sabaku siblings, would get together somewhere and reminisce and just talk. Tonight they were meeting again. Hinata and Naruto were the only ones that knew tonight was the night Shikumaru finally proposed to Temari.

"Naruto…"

"Hm? What is it Koi?"

"I feel like we failed them."

Naruto spun her around lightly so she was facing him. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes, making them shine like ice. Hinata's own white pearls began to grow watery.

"We didn't. They died to save us, Hinata. But they wouldn't want us to waist our lives. Remember that."

"I know."

She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his lightly. When she pulled back, he pulled her into his chest. She wrapped her arms around his waist, turning her head so her cheek rested against his chest. Humming happily, he encased her in his arms, resting his head on hers. The wind picked up, causing his cloak to billow around them.

"Hinata, we found something."

"What?"

"I sent ANBU to search the site, just in case. They found these."

He gently nudged Hinata away, taking a scroll from his cloak and opening it. With a murmured 'kai', he held out two items for her. Two headbands, both dirty and scratched. What shocked her most was that the metal plates where broken, causing the leaf symbol to be broken in half.

"Their headbands!"

"Ya…I thought…you know…maybe-"

Hinata cut him off, placing a finger on his lips. She stepped away from him, holding one headband in each hand. With a sigh of concentration, she closed her eyes. A purple chakra began to swirl around her form gently. Just as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Leaning down, she placed the headbands on the graves of two of her most important people. She turned, grabbing Naruto's hand in her own. Smiling up at him, she began to tug him towards the direction of their favorite ramen stand.

"Come on Naruto. Let's go watch Shika make a fool of himself."

Naruto laughed, grinning the same old foxy grin. He entwined his arm with his loves and began to walk. He stopped only once, to look back at the graves, to look back at the headbands.

There on the graves the headbands would remain. No rain, nor snow, nor hail or dirt could touch them. Two headbands would remain on those graves until the end of the life of the Hokage's wife. A indigo-haired, pearly-eyed kunoichi of the leaf. Two headbands.

Completely perfect.

**THE END OF THE SUFLOWER REVIVES THE FOX**

**Okay, don't really know where I was going with that ending. Hope you all enjoyed my last chapter. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this story! **

**~!snow!~**


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